The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-04-07
PROTESTANT BELIEF.
BISHOP RAMS LENrEN LECTURE
Answered by Rev. DR.. D. A. Cunningham,
:. Pastor Of tho First Presbyterian Church.
The Bishop H. taken to Task for
Mlsrepresentlng Professionalism,

10 N EHIof 81 me lhNlltgtHed, H.. VIZ.
slR:-1n the report given In your paper
OF last Monday, Of tho closing lecture Of
Bishop kain, there are some statements
and assertions which demand attention.
Bishop Kahn has q perfect right 10 state
the doctrines and teachings OF bis own
church, aud to have them published In
tho newspapers; but he has no right pub.
licly to misrepresent the doctrines and
teachings Of Protestant Christianity; these
doctrines ind teachings are dear to the
hearts Of millions OF Gods children 10.
day, who have been redeemed by the
blood Of Christ, and who give as clear evi.
donce that they are His sincere disciples
as any who have been born In the fold OF
the Roman Catholic Church. -
Let me here call attention to few OF
the Bishops assertions In regard to Pro.
testautism: - at'E
First, he says according to the report.
that "a system," (reierring to Protestant
Christianity (which leaves lis followers
In doubt about the revelations made by
God, cannot be true" Az Protestant
Christians, we deny that We arc left "in
doubt about tho revelations made by
God" There Is no uncertainty in
these revelations to us; We know whom
We believe and what We believe. So sure
is Protestant Christianity OF the revela.
tons made by God, that she has had, and
still has among her number, the ablest
defenders OF the truth Of Divine Revela-
ton against the attacks OF inldelity. She
can count her numbers by millions. who
can say with unwavering faith, II know
whom believe" . VI
Second, the Bishop says: 1.-THE Catholic
church teaches that sin is not only for
given, but washed away by the blood of
the Rodeemer; Protestantism only cloaks
1t over and hides the sinners yileneas
from the eyes OF God" Tho Bishop
nsheTts what ia not true, when he saws:
Professionalism only cloaks," etc. Pro.
testant Christianity teaches in the clearest
words which can be used, "that ain is not
only forgiven, but washed away BY the
blood Of the Redeemer." She teaches az
John did, that "the blood Of Jesus Christ
His Son cteanseth US from all SIM" III
we confess our Gins, He ia faithful and
just to forgive US our sins, and to cleanse
us from oil unrighteousneBs," Does this
teaching look like cloakirg over and hid.
ing the sinners vileneca from the eyes of
God?
Third, tho Bishop says, "Proteetant.
ism leaves all the foulnoss Of sin still on
the soul, and denies that any real holiness
is impaired" Again, he says: accord.
ing to its dreary teachings, there is no
moral change effected by justification-no
cleansing away OF sin-no re.imprintinp
Of the image Of God-no true regenera.
tion." Is there an intelligent man or
woman who knows tho true teachings OF
Protestant Christianity, who will believe
such unfounded declarations and migrep.
RESERVATIONS as the above? Why, our
Protestant boys and girls know better
than this. To show tho untruthtulness Of
the above statements in regard to the
teachings Of our Protestant Christianity.
let me quote little from the "Westmins.
ter Shorter Catechism":
l. How doth the Spirit apply to US the
redemption purchased by Christ? The
Spirit applisth to us the redemption pur.
chased BY Christ, by working faith in US,
and thereby uniting us to Christ in our
etlectral calling"
2. "What is eaectusl calling? EtIectual
calling ia the work of Gods Spirit, where.
by convincing US OF our Gin and misery.
enlightening our minds in the KNOWLEDGE
OF Christ, nd:renewing our wills, he doth
persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus
Christ, freely offered to US in the gospel.''
3. "What benefits do they that are ef.
fectually called partake OF in this life?
They TINT are etoctusl!y called do in this
lie partake Of justification, adoption, md
sanctilication, and the several benefits
which in this life, do either accompany or
flow from them"
4. "Whst ia justification Justification ia
an act Of Gods free grace, wherein He
pardoneth all our Gins, and accepteth us
as righteous in His sight, only for the
righteousness OF Christ imputed to US,
snd received by faith alone"
5. what is Adoption? Adoption is an
act OF Gods free grace, whereby We are
received into the number aud have right
to all the privileges OF the sons OF God.H
=. What ia Sanctifcation Sanctitica-
ton ia the work OF Gods free yrace.
whereby we are renewed in the whole
man after the image Of God, and are ong-
bled more and more to die unto sin. and
live unto righteousness"
Surely these teachings contradict in
the clenrest terms what has been
ignorantly or otherwise attributed
to our Protestant Christianity, For
example, it Yves reported that "The
Bishop concluded by rema,king, first, that
according to Protestant theology, which
denied any real washing away OF sin, any
communication OF grace and true holiness,
and any real restoration OF the gifts and
privileges Of paradise, there vas 60 little
need OF Divine Redeemer that men yery
naturally questioned the efficacy OF the
sacrifice Of the Cross and the divine char.
acter OF its victim"
1t ls too late in the nineteenth century
to make such uncalled.ior attacks upon
Protestant Christianity; it might have
been done with impunity in the Dark
Ages. The fruits Of Protestant Christian.
ity occuply too large space to-day in the
Affairs Of this world, TO be ignored or mie-
represented. Thousands OF pens and
tongues are ready 10 como to the defense
oil the truth. DAVID A. CuxNISGuAM.
Wheeling, april 5, 1857.
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Rotation OF Catnrrh to Deafness,